Is the spirit a mystical force or a secular, irrational one? Exploring this question while also seeking a specific European identity in the artistic landscape of the 20th century, this book reexamines 150 works by major figures in European art from Edvard Munch to Rachel Whiteread, avoiding the typically rational means of analysis to look for the poetic and transcendent in the artistic expression. Here are selected works by Francis Bacon, Joseph Beuys, Marcel Duchamp, Marlene Dumas, Alberto Giacometti, Gilbert & George, Yves Klein, Piet Mondrian, Susana Solano, and many others, illustrated with 161 color plates and 43 black and white photos. The text is in Italian and English.